Nightmare
by TheFiresOfHope
Summary: A nightmare refuses to leave Darman alone. He decides to deal with it the best way he knows. Inspired by the site Love Gives Me Hope. DarxEtain.


**Yes, I'm back! Here's my newest story!**

**For those of you that haven't read my story A Woven Promise, the ring in this story makes its first appearance there. Go check it out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I'm not Karen Traviss or George Lucas.**

**Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think at the end!**

_He could see her, through the sheet of water. It rippled briefly, distorting her features for a moment, then fell smoothly again._

_Not for one instant though, did it hide the fear and panic in her light green eyes. The amber flecks seemed to darken with terror as she leaned toward him, desperate to reach him before time ran out._

_He, too, could feel the need and distress. He needed to hurry! Time slowed as he reached toward her. The air seemed to thicken, slowing his arms, as if to stop him from reaching his goal. Only the fear of failure kept him going, reaching toward the veil of clear water, despite the pressure of air on his limbs. He must get to her before time ran out!_

_Finally, finally, he felt the coolness against his fingers as he broached the liquid barrier between them. Giving up, the air released its hold on them and she tumbled forward into his embrace, warm, wet, and alive._

_For a moment she they stood there, still. He could feel her heart beat slam against his, once, twice, thrice . . . Then, even as he pulled away to look at her face he felt her grip on him disappear as her body suddenly turned from solid to a colored mist. No! He was too late!_

_He lunged forward, desperate to somehow catch her before the wind blew her away, but to no avail. His last sight of her was her face, her mouth open in a silent scream of terror, and then she turned the color of the pale mist behind her before the wind blew her small form away into nothingness – and she was gone, gone, GONE!_

Darman jolted awake, jerking upright, his heart pounding and his breath coming in short, quick gasps. His head whipped around – for a second, he thought he caught sight of a disappearing mist. Then he shook his head, settling back on his elbows. He was just imagining things; it was just his nightmare lingering in his mind.

Even as the thought it entered his mind, an image of Etain's panic-stricken eyes flashed in his head. Wide eyes, huge black pupils, glimmering green irises covered in a clear film of tears of terror. And then she turns to fog, and is blown away by the feeblest winds, and he'll never see her again no matter how hard he tries to look for her because –

_No! _Darman leaned forward and gripped his hair in his hands._ It's just a dream, it's not real! Etain is fine. She's fine! Alive!_

He knew it was a bad dream, so why did he feel so scared? He, who could survive day after day of killing and blaster shots and explosions, and still sleep easily. Nightmares had always disappeared as soon as day broke.

He glanced around. Of course, it was still dark now. The barracks were near pitch black. He could only identify his brothers' whereabouts by the sound of their breathing. Maybe that was the reason why it still lingered. Evil always liked to hide in the dark of the shadows, where light couldn't touch.

So Darman forced himself to lie back down, pulling up the sheets to cover the fear-induced goose bumps that still lingered on his skin. For a long time he lay on the bed trying to recapture sleep, but even after hours, the most he could manage was a light doze, drifting along the line between being awake and unconsciousness.

Then, his mind wandered deeper into sleep and he found himself _running through a zero visibility, misty landscape. His feet pounded on rock and he was climbing up and up over boulders and rocks toward the sound of running water, his only source of direction in the white vapor that surrounded him. Despite it, he kept moving quickly, the certainty of the dreaming telling him he must reach there before it was too late. _

_Finally he round a narrow stone path and found himself in front of a small waterfall. He could see her, through the sheet of water. It rippled briefly, distorting her features for a moment, then fell smoothly again._

_Not for one instant though, did it hide the fear and panic in her light green eyes. The amber flecks seemed to darken with terror as she leaned toward him, - _

_NO! _Again Darman burst into wakefulness and again he had to swallow the cry of denial as the same nightmare tormented him. Unable to calm the agitation and hysteria rising within him, he groped for his comlink in the dark and snatched it up. His trembling fingers punched in Etain's code – he could do it without looking.

He kneaded his pillow beneath his hands as he waited until finally she answered the call.

"Dar, is that you?"

Darman hit the holo display button and Etain flickered to life in blue light above his comlink.

Her bed sheets tangled around her as she sat up, comlink cupped in one hand. Etain brushed her loose, tangled hair behind one ear and gave him a sleepy smile.

He anxiously searched for any sign that she was harmed, but there was none.

Relief surged through him. "_Etain._ You're – You're alright? You're safe?"

Confusion filtered through her sleep smeared voice and her face creased into concern. "I'm fine. Why? What's wrong?"

Darman shook his head, suddenly decisive. She was exhausted and didn't need to add to her no doubt already full plate. His nightmares were his to deal with; it wouldn't be fair to burden her as well.

"No, no. It was nothing – I just – wanted to see you." Darman decided it was at least part of the truth.

Etain relaxed. "Oh. Alright." She sat up fully and leaned over her comlink. "Are you sure you are okay, though?"

_Osik._ She was still worried. "I'm okay, really, Cyar'ika. Just missing you." _And trying to convince myself that you're not dead._

She seemed to believe it. "I miss you too. It's been so long," Etain said. Her hand went to her collarbone and closed around a small ring dangling on a chain she was wearing.

"You're still wearing it. The ring I gave you."

"It's my wedding ring, isn't it? Of course I didn't take it off."

They both knew the dangers of their being caught only increased by her wearing her ring. But it was more than a piece of metal; Etain wore it because was a symbol of their hope that one day, they would have a proper future together like any other couple.

_Loyal. Faithful. Loving. Unwavering. _Darman closed his eyes as _he felt her grip on him disappear as her body suddenly turned from solid to a colored mist._ He couldn't lose her.

Unaware of his inner struggle, Etain yawned and put a hand in front of her mouth.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't get much sleep last night. And the night before that. And maybe even the night before that."

Darman could see her eyes drooping in exhaustion. "Go to sleep, _Et'ika._ You need your rest."

He interrupted her further as she opened her mouth to protest. "No, go to sleep. We'll talk later." Darman hesitated. "But leave your comm on. Just for a minute. I'll turn mine off later."

Etain regretfully nodded, weariness overcoming any argument. "Okay. Good night."

"I love you," he said quietly. _No. Nothing was going to get to her if he could help it. _She propped her comlink onto a bedside table, positioning it so he could still see her.

Etain settled down and pulled the sheets up to her shoulders. "I love you, too," she murmured sleepily, her eyes already closed.

She was asleep within moments.

Hundreds of light-years away, however, her husband sat up over her small, blue figure cupped in his hands, watchful and protective long into the night until dawn spilled over the horizon and dispelled the gloom of night, banishing the despair and distress of the greatest of fears and the darkest of nightmares.

**What did you guys think? I don't think it was my best work, but I had to get it out of my system – it had been lingering around forever!**

**Sorry if anyone thought the conversation was a bit cut short, but I wanted the main focus to be on Darman being watching over her.**

**Don't forget to review and comment!**


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